RHR Appoints Roddy Watt

RHR Appoints Roddy Watt

Retail Human Resources plc (RHR) is delighted to announce the appointment of Roddy Watt to its board, with the express intention of developing a central and significant position in the Hospitality & Leisure recruitment market.

Roddy launched The Berkeley Scott Group in 1984, a company he built to be the clear market leader in recruitment within the Hospitality & Leisure sector, and which he eventually floated on the Alternative Investment Market in 2004. He is recognised as being one of the leaders in driving the development of recruitment within that sector, and his appointment at RHR heralds a return to the fray.

RHR is the market leader in recruitment and resourcing in the retail sector, with a nationwide network of 11 offices, a team of 60 consultants, and a genuine national presence. RHRs financially robust position means it is well
placed to capitalise in the current difficult trading environment.

Peter Burgess, managing director of RHR explained: Current market conditions will favour the strong, and unfortunately, there will be casualties along the way. At RHR, we have already acted to bring our organisation and cost structure in line with prevailing market conditions, and we are confident that not only are we ahead of the curve, but we have the financial resources and platform to expand our business into other market sectors.

The Hospitality & Leisure sector is one we have been observing for some time as it sits very comfortably alongside the retail sector. With the appointment of Roddy Watt, we are now laying down a marker that we are deadly serious about developing a strong presence in this normally exciting and vibrant market.

Helping extend RHRs market leadership into the Hospitality & Leisure sector is a challenge that Roddy Watt is eager to undertake, commenting: I am delighted to be joining RHR at this time. Whilst the recruitment environment is very difficult in most quarters, it is clear that an opportunity exists within the Hospitality & Leisure sector in particular. A number of the key players in the market have undergone enormous change, others are in disarray, and many of the smaller businesses have either gone or are under severe pressure. As such, with the resource, infrastructure and financial strength of a market leader such as RHR, there is tremendous scope to take a significant position in this market which I know so well.

RHR has many similarities with the company I built, not least a fantastic team built around a board of directors who really care about the business and are still very much in touch with their clients. It is wonderful to be back working in such a healthy and supportive environment and I very much look forward to renewing contact with the many people I have worked with in the Hospitality & Leisure sector over so many years.